Description

LIFE IN PIECES is a single-camera comedy about one big happy family and their sometimes awkward, often hilarious and ultimately beautiful milestone moments as told by its various members. Of the three siblings, middle child Matt may have just found his true love, his co-worker Colleen; his coddled, youngest brother Greg and his wife Jen are overwhelmed by the birth of their first child; and the eldest, Heather, and her husband Tim are dreading their impending empty nest so much, they’re considering having another baby. Their parents are Joan, the family’s adoring matriarch who would do anything for her kids – as long as she agrees with it – and John, the gregarious patriarch who’s searching for ways to soften the blow of turning 70. As the family’s lives unfold in four short stories each week, they try to savor these little pieces of time that flash by but stay with you forever, because these moments add up to what life’s all about.

Heather and Tim enlist Clementine’s unusual parents, Mary-Lynn and Spencer, to help convince Clementine and Tyler to annul their unexpected marriage. Also, Tommy moves in with Colleen, to the chagrin of her roommate, Dougie; John and Joan run into “complications” after John takes the wrong dose of his daily pill; and Jen and Greg keep a secret from the family.

When Greg avoids voting in the presidential election because the lines are too long, he lies to Jen and says he did to get her off his back. Also, Heather begins working in Tim’s office, but the initial fun of the constant togetherness starts to wear off, Tim gives Joan a prescription for medical marijuana after she complains she can’t sleep, and Matt takes Colleen to the emergency room when she complains about mysterious stomach cramps.

When Tim accidentally shaves off a huge chunk of eyebrow before an important photoshoot, he hopes Jen and Colleen’s grooming expertise can fix it. Also, when Gigi passes away, Greg makes an anonymous donation with the money she left him, but later realizes he wants to be recognized for it; John learns firsthand what Gigi’s life was like at the nursing home; and Joan honors her mother’s memory with unusual jewelry.

When Colleen teaches Matt her frugal ways, he gets hooked when he realizes how much saving money turns her on. Also, Tim attempts to fire Heather from her receptionist position at his office, John tries to break Sophia’s fear of flying by taking her for a quick flight on a small plane, and Jen plans a quiet affair for Lark’s first birthday, until the family takes over the celebration.

When Joan’s creative writing teacher, Professor Sinclair Wilde, praises her work, John assumes it is because he has a crush on her. Also, Tyler and Clementine invite Matt and Colleen over for an awkward dinner party; Jen tries to hide it from Greg when Lark takes her first steps while he’s away on a business trip; and Colleen, Heather and Jen take Dougie out for ladies night when she realizes she might be gay.

John’s plan to encourage Samantha to skip her ballet class and take up boxing with his trainer, Troy, behind her mother Heather’s back has unexpected consequences. Also, Jen tries to discreetly seek a second opinion when Tim tells her she needs tonsil surgery; Joan constantly scares Matt by hiding spiders around him; and Greg grows a wiry beard that irritates Jen.

When John decides to try out for “Survivor,” Tim gets jealous and attempts to undermine his audition tape. Also, Colleen confesses she can’t swim when she and Matt discuss Hawaii as a honeymoon destination; Jen pretends to get hooked on meditation so she can use the time to play cell phone games; and Heather gives Sophia the “sex” talk.

When Colleen goes wedding dress shopping with her future in-laws, she must deal with Joan’s unfiltered opinions. Also, when Clementine feels she’s overstaying her welcome at the Hughes house, she starts being extra nice to Tim who takes it the wrong way; Greg gets frustrated when Jen can’t stay awake after a romantic date night; and John and Matt attempt to build a vanity for Sophia after John rips up the directions.

Heather freaks out when Samantha auditions for the high school musical and the director, Julius Black, doesn’t give her a part. Also, Matt, Greg and Heather suspect Joan is having an affair; Tyler and Clementine decide to find a home of their own; and, Jen, Colleen and Tim secretly play “Short Family Bingo” to pass the time during the weekly Sunday brunch.

The Shorts take a trip down memory lane with a #TBT to Y2K, when John and Joan throw a party to celebrate the turn of the century and John convinces everyone there will be chaos when the clock strikes midnight. Also, #TBT to Heather and Tim’s parenting styles before they had Sophia, #TBT to Jen and Greg’s honeymoon when Jen realizes the extent to which Joan is involved in Greg’s life, and #TBT to the moment Greg and Colleen met.

When Colleen and Matt host the family tailgate party at the L.A. Rams game, they invite former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner to spice up their so far dismal event. Also, Tim’s in danger of missing the game when Sophia makes him take her to the restroom and they get sidetracked returning to their seats; Joan and Jen try to sneak into seats closer to the field; and Greg wins a chance to participate in a halftime contest involving a football toss.

When Greg insists on being Matt’s best man at his wedding, Matt is forced to reveal his secret about their plans. Also, Colleen refers Jen to her aggressive bikini waxer in order to get a referral discount; Joan tries to prove to Heather that Sophia is ready for a little independence; and Clementine gets a job at a car rental office, leaving Tyler home alone all day.

When Greg and Jen hire Allie, a private chef, to cook for them on Valentine’s Day, the evening isn’t as romantic as they had hoped. Also, Matt and Colleen try to adopt a dog from Ruth, a judgmental animal advocate; John and Joan attempt to buy a classic car from dealership owner Gavin; and Sophia gets a necklace from a boy for Valentine’s Day, to the chagrin of Heather and Tim.

When Tim gets two tickets to the GRAMMY Awards from his rock star patient, Charlie Puth, he brings Samantha to the show to impress her. Also, Matt and Colleen realize how out of control planning a wedding can get when they meet with their offbeat wedding planner, Ned Gawler; John and Joan join Facebook so they can stay connected to the kids; and Heather manically tries to save Sophia’s beloved goldfish from dying.

Dinner gets awkward for Jen and Matt when they find themselves alone without Greg and Colleen. Also, Lark accidentally locks out Greg and Jen from the house, prompting Greg to install a complicated home automation system; Heather and Tim try to sneak wine into an ice skating show to get out of paying at the venue; and John and Joan agree to an impromptu wedding after Colleen mentions that she’s an ordained minister.

Greg stirs up an old family feud when he finds money he accused Matt of stealing from him when they were younger. Also, Joan takes offense when Heather writes off her forgetfulness as “old age”; Colleen confronts a mechanic she believes is sexist; and Tim makes the kids go through an impromptu earthquake drill to see if they could figure out how to get home without money or cell service.

When Matt and Colleen take a strong sleep aid, they start experiencing crazy sleepwalking adventures. Also, Greg gets upset when Jen reveals she had a sex dream about a member of the family; Tim regrets missing a slumber party when he was a kid so he insists on helping Sophia make it through a friend’s sleepover; and John installs a motion-sensor light in the yard that flashes repeatedly, keeping them up at night.

Greg becomes frazzled when Lark rebuffs him and only wants to be held by Jen. Also, Heather refuses to get the reading glasses she desperately needs; Colleen introduces Matt to her eccentric father so he can get his blessing for their upcoming nuptials; and when Cousin Mikey (Greg Grunberg) goes through a tough breakup, Joan tries to set him up on a date.

Matt and Colleen have a disastrous time babysitting Lark while Jen is at work. Also, Sophia is far from pleased when John buys her a butterfly kit for her birthday; Tim and Heather rehash an old fight from the early days of their relationship; and Greg gives Samantha questionable advice about being an entrepreneur for her school project.

When Colleen goes to Tim for help with an embarrassing ailment, she begs him not to tell the family. Also, Dougie enlists Joan to help her buy a gift for Matt and Colleen’s wedding; Heather gets jealous when her friends want to include Jen in their mommy group; and Professor Sinclair Wilde encourages Joan to ask her family to read a draft of her book.

When Greg and Jen take Lark on her first airplane trip, their parental skills are upstaged by another couple travelling with their baby. Also, Joan and John attempt to smuggle their dog, Tank, onto the plane; Matt and Colleen miss their flights when they accept travel vouchers for airline credits; and Heather and Tim run into countless obstacles when trying to get to the airport on time.

When Colleen and Matt miss all the flights to Mexico for their wedding, they question if they will ever get married. Also, Greg and Jen get into trouble when they share a cookie with a fellow plane passenger who has a severe allergic reaction to it, Joan and John rush their dog to the vet after he swallows Matt’s wedding ring, and the Hughes family moves into Tyler and Clementine’s tiny house when a fire breaks out in their kitchen.